Upcoming activity announced by the Animation Skills Fund

The Animation Skills Fund has announced its planned activity for the coming year. With a focus on mid-level progression and the introduction of a range of new programmes, it aims to help develop the sector’s workforce across the UK.

One of the new programmes is new entrant initiative, Dream Big!, run by training provider thinkBIGGER!. The programme has been supported by the Children’s TV Skills Fund for two years, with this year marking the first occasion that six six-month paid placements in a UK animation production will be made available for candidates. It focuses on attracting underrepresented new entrants to animation and enabling them to build a successful career and offers practical training, industry masterclasses, personal development skills and mentoring with industry professionals.

A new company-focussed programme offers tailored training to production companies through half-day sessions to suit the contributing company’s requirements. Direct to Company Training will offer contributors a range of sessions based upon areas identified by the company.

Contact Matt.brothers@screenskills.com to find out more about how to take part.

Make a Move will encourage on-the-job training of crew members identified by the production as ready to move up into a more senior role. Up to £10,000 for three individuals will be made available throughout the year with access to Make a Move participants made available to contributing productions.

The programme has been a fixture of the High-end TV, Film and Children's TV Skills Fund's activity and will this year be joined by the Animation Skills Fund.

Ongoing programmes include flagship new entrant initiative, Animation Trainee Finder where a cohort of of 30 animation trainees, skilled across 2D, 3D, stop motion, art and production, can be placed on contributing productions for between four-40 weeks, depending on funding available.

These placements, alongside practical training and guidance aims to ensure a continued supply of talent capable of making world-class creative animated content. 

Professional development courses designed to address a specific talent or skill shortage in the animation industry will remain a focus of the Fund. It will respond to industry needs to develop courses and training where it is most required, evidenced in the layout skills short course that will be launched in 2024 to address reports of a lack of layout artists.

The four flagship courses for Creative Animation (Leadership, Producing, Directing, Production Management) delivered by Indielab in 2024 is another example of professional skills shortages, identified by the industry, being addressed. These courses trained up to 80 individuals with the main skills required to perform these roles optimally.

In addition, the Animation Skills Fund will work with other ScreenSkills managed Funds to develop new co-funded short courses:

Neurodivergence and inclusion in the screen industries: leaders and managers - Training Course - ScreenSkills

Mental health awareness for managers - Training Course - ScreenSkills 

Deaf awareness training in association with Signpost Productions - Training Course - ScreenSkills

Disability awareness for hirers in association with thinkBIGGER! - Training Course - ScreenSkills

 Anti-bullying & harassment training - Training Course - ScreenSkills

To find out more about the activity supported by the Animation Skills Fund or contributing to the Fund, contact ScreenSkills' Animation Production Liaison Executive Kieran Argo.